A Hard Day's Night, directed by Richard Lester, features the Beatles as themselves. The plot of the movie is fairly simple. The Beatles are late for a concert, and they run into all sorts of obstacles on their way to the show. Along the way, they find time to sing a few tunes, such as their number one hits, "Can't Buy Me Love," "I Wanna Hold Your Hand," and, of course, "All My Lovin'." In addition, they get waylaid by executives, reporters, Paul's grandfather, and plenty of screaming girls. Since the Beatles decided in 1966 to stop playing live shows, A Hard Day's Night is an excellent repository of live film footage of them playing. The film was created at a time before the Beatles had gotten involved with the countercultural movement in a serious way. Thus, it's a fun and somewhat fluffy affair. This is not to say that it doesn't reflect some very interesting social phenomena. The quick cuts, droll one-liners of the Beatles themselves, and funny story all make this a classic film. It helped set the bar for other rockers-cum-actors. In recent years, such artists as Mariah Carey, Madonna, Eminem, and scores of others have tried to make the leap from the stage to the big screen. While not all of these transitions have been successful, these artists all owe a debt of gratitude in some form to A Hard Day's Night for paving the way. Richard Lester, the director, was known for his work with Peter Sellers in a film called The Running, Jumping, and Standing Still Film. This quirky, experimental piece presaged Lester's unusual style. For fans of the 1960s cinema, A Hard Day's Night is a film delight. It displays the Beatles' charm, musical genius, and odd sense of humor.
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